5 heritage bridges across the Singapore River were given conservation status on 3 December 2009. They were originally built to connect the south bank of the river where cargo were unloaded from ships, with the north bank of the river where most government offices were located.
Anderson Bridge
Anderson Bridge was built in 1910 to take the traffic load off Cavenagh Bridge. It was named after Sir John Anderson, the governor of the Straits Settlement from 1904-1911. It comprises three steel arches with supporting steel ribs extending across, as well as two rusticated archways and a fluted pier at each end. The arches use a curved structure which provides a high resistance to bending force.
Cavenagh Bridge
Built in 1869, the bridge was named in honour of Colonel Cavenagh, the last India-appointed Governor of Singapore (1859-1867). Notably, it is also one of the first suspension bridges in the region. Designed by John Thomson, it was manufactured in Scotland in 1868 and assembled in Singapore a year later. It is the oldest bridge in Singapore and still stands in its original form across the Singapore River.
Elgin Bridge
Elgin Bridge is a concrete structure built in 1927 across the Singapore River, to join North Bridge Road to South Bridge Road. In the early days, the first bridge to be built at the same site over the Singapore River was a wooden drawbridge. It was known as Presentment Bridge or Monkey Bridge. Over the years, it was replaced by a wooden footbridge and then an iron bridge which was demolished in 1927.
Read Bridge
Read Bridge is a plain concrete bridge with little decorative ornamentation. Built in 1889 to replace Merchant Bridge, Read Bridge was the initiative of a famous businessman, William Henry Read, a Scotsman who came to Singapore in 1841. He was the first non-government member of parliament in colonial Singapore to make notable contributions to public service.
Ord Bridge
Ord Bridge was constructed in 1886 and dedicated to the memory of Sir Henry St. George Ord, the first governor of the Straits Settlement appointed by the Colonial office in London. It was also known as the Ordnance Bridge or Toddy Bridge because of neighbouring ordnance stores and liquor shops. The bridge is simple in form, but has interesting and ornamental balustrades and girders.